Seal for ball bearings



sept. 19, 1939. G, R, BOTT 2,173,247

ATTORNEY,

' Patented Sept. 19, 1939 UNITEDv ysT-A'rlss sEALpFoa BALL Baumes George R. Bott, deceased, late of Stamford, Conn.,

v by The Stamford Trust Company, executor,

Stamford, Conn., assignor to Norma-Hoffman Bearings Corporation, Stamford/Conn., a corporation of New York Application November 13, 1937, Serial No. 174,475 1 claim. 01.' 28s-11') This invention relates to seals for ball or roller bearings, andhas for its object to provide a seal which may be readily applied to abeari'ng ring and also conveniently removed therefrom for replacement purposes.

More particularly, the invention consists of a seal for bearings, which consists of an articial rubber ring held in position by a metallic ring in a manner to compress part of the rubber ring and subject other parts to tension, whereby a tight fit against the outer and inner race rings is obtained.

Preferably, the articial rubber utilized in the carrying out of this invention is exible, heat resistant to 300 F., is not affected by gasoline,

oil.or grease, and does not oxidize. Preferably,v

the metallic ring is a split ring.

'I'he seal may be applied to one or the other bearing race ring, but preferably is applied to the outer race ring, and acts upon the inner race ring to act as a barrier between the rings against the inow of dust and the outflow of oil. Such a seal minimizes the possibility of noise, the warping of plates heretofore proposed as seal members, and the use of felt which developed unsatisfactory conditions in the operation of bearings.

The invention` will be more fully described hereinafter, embodiments thereof shown in the drawing, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of part of a ball bearing showing my improved seal applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a similarview showingV diagrammatically the lines of force, such as develop in the application of the improved seal to a bearing;

Figure 3 is a, section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a sertional View of the seal prior to its application to a bearing.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the various views.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Figure 4, the seal consists of two Darts. One part is the rubber ring, generally indicated by l0, and the other part is a metallic ring, generally indicated by II. The rubber ring I is composed of artificial rubber. which is exible,

heat resistant to 300 F., not affected by gasoline,

oil or grease; and does not oxidize. It is practically indestructible, and when subjected to the action of the metallic ring its compressed portion cannot bel flexed thereafter. The rubber'` ring I0 has a body portion I2 with two extending leg portions I3` and I3a having a gap I4 therebetween. The outer surfaces .of theseleg portions are substantially flat as'shown at I5 andy I5a, so as to be able to bear against a at surface of a race ring. These ilat surfaces I5 and I5a form external peripheral portions of the rubber ring. The body portion I2 has also two extending legportions I6 and Ilia, and between these there is a space or gap I1, the leg portions I6 and IIia having at surfaces I8 and I8a adapted to seat against a, nat surface of a race ring. One lateral contour of the rubber member I2 is curved outwardly as shown at I9, and the other contour is curved slightly as shown at 20. 'I'he curved portion 20 is preferably so shaped as to give the largest volume for grease or the like between the ball or roller and the proximate surface of the rubber body; and the other curved portion indicated by I9 is so shaped as to add strength to the rubber member. The extensions I3 and I3a at their sides adjacent the space Il, are provided with bulged portions 2| and 2Ia. Preferably, narrow spaces 22 and 22a are provided between the ring II and legs I3 and I3a.

Preferably, the ring II is a split ring, so as to exert a radially outward pressure against the body portion I2. With the split ring II exerting its pressure radially outward, the legs I3 and I3a have a tendency to be moved towards each other, as shown in Figure 4.

To enable the improved seal as shown in Figure 4 to be applied to a ball bearing, means for holding the same must be provided. One form is the recess or groove 26 having two shoulders 21 and 21a arranged in the outer race ring 28 at one side of the balls 29. A complementary cut out 30, having a shoulder 3| is provided in the inner race ring 32, also at one side of the balls 29. The usual ball cage is shown at 33.

When the seal shown in its free position in Figure 4 is applied to the bearing, the flat surfaces I6 and I6a are pressed against the at circumferential surface of the groove 26, and the lateral sides of the body portion I2 are pressed slightly into the groove, so that the rubber on expansion will press against the shoulders 21 and 21a. fit is obtained. The free ends of the extensions I3 and I3a are then pressed against the fiat circumferential surface of the inner race ring 32. Preferably, a space 34 is provided between the shoulder 3| and the proximate portion of the rubber seal, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Thereby, a tight and snug After the seal as shown has been applied to a bearing as described, certain forces act, and these are shown diagrammatically in Figure 2.' The split ring Ii exerts its radially outward force.

thus setting up lines 3l of compression, while the legs i3 and lia are subjected to lines of tension as shown in Figure 2. 'I'he arrows 31 indicate the direction of the radially outward force; the arrows 3s the forces acting upon the outer race ring in a radial direction, and the arrows 39 those acting against the shoulders 21 in a laterax'direction. The arrows u. indicate inwardly acting forces. l

It will be noted that the ring Ilv acting upon the rubber portion i2 compresses the same, and presses it against the outer race ring, whereas the legs while under tension, nevertheless, due to their configuration, exert a, compressing action upon the inner race ring, and' thus provide a very eiiective seal.

A seal for ball bearings. comprising an unbroken ring of deformable and inherently resilient elastic`materlal, having a body portion lfrom said body portion, spaced leg portions extending irom said body portion in a direction opposite to said contacting portions, each leg portion being substantially in line with each of said contacting portions, said leg portions forming at their inner ends inner race ring contacting portions with substantially flat surfaces. and ametallic ring having a radially outward force pressing action against the body portion in the space between the legs, causing the ends of the legs to extend inwardly towards each other while remaining spaced from each other, whereby the flat surfaces of the ends of the legs exert a pressure action upon the inner race ring when applied thereto.l

THE STANFORD TRUST COMPANY. Ezecutor of the Estate of George R. Bott,`De-1 ceased,

By CLARENCE E. THOMPSON,

President. 

